December 18, 2002

Senator Sam Brownback (Republican of Kansas), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is strongly encouraging China to improve its record in accepting agricultural imports from the United States, and to live up to its World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments.

Senator Brownback was in China to discuss U.S.-China agricultural trade issues, according to a December 18 news release from his office.

Brownback told his Chinese hosts that "many in Congress who are strong supporters of strengthening the U.S.-China relationship are from largely rural states, and we see the great opportunity to open new markets in China."

Brownback emphasized to Chinese officials that a having a standard of zero pathogen for meat imports "is simply impossible - and would be seen as a move by the Chinese to use such concerns to avoid complying with their agreement to lower tariffs."

He met with Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen and officials from China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. The Chinese officials expressed their appreciation to Brownback for recent efforts to de-link food sales from sanctions arising from foreign policy disputes.

"I assured the Chinese that the United States will not use food as a weapon," Brownback said.